The woodwork confessionals are great. And yes, those are crushed velvet curtains! There's even a stained glass window inside the confessor's portion.

Check out this kneeler!!!

I really felt very lucky to have been given the chance to scope out this beautiful house of worship. The wonderful priest who let me in didn't have the key for the nave, so unfortunately I only got to peek through the window. You'd've been in for quite a treat, though, had I been able to snap some photos in there. Even from behind a locked door, that area oozed beauty!

I'm such a nerd for Catholic art and architecture. We have such a rich and colorful history full of beautiful traditions and beliefs. As a friend of mine once said, our churches should reflect those beliefs and traditions... it should reflect the depth and beauty of our history. I think St. Laurence does it quite nicely. Bless them over there! May they continue to thrive!

Aside from trying to keep up with a bazillion comments, e-mails and threads - click the picture above to find out what I've been so busy working on the last few days!

Those who love incredibly beautiful churches (complete with hand-carved wood-work, ornate marble sculptures and unparalleled stained glass) be warned. You'll need a bib to catch the drool. This is truly a beautiful parish.

So a wonderful friend of mine left a link on my wall this morning regarding the proposed boycott of Chick-Fil-A that has now extended down to my hometown of Philadelphia.

Blah.

I had read about it here last night, but it was about 2am and I didn't have the energy to find words for the irritation I felt.

Luckily, Nicole found someone who did it for me and was kind enough to share his words this morning. I'm returning the favor by sharing it with all of you.

Please take a moment (especially if you appreciate Mr. Mendte's common sense) to drop him an e-mail at Mendte@aol.com to let him know. I certainly did.

And remember - this is NOT just about gay rights, this is not about a chicken place, and this is not about our righteous indignation regarding either side of the issue.

This is about our freedoms and how politicians, pundits and yes, even some journalists, are going out of their way to cloud the fact that our liberty is being threatened. Not only is it being threatened, but it's being bullied, battered and spit upon - all in the name of "tolerance."

I've thought this many times about your reporting, but I've never felt compelled to reach out and actually tip my hat your way through an e-mail. Now, I am compelled. Your poise, fairness and clarity are so necessary in this confused climate of rhetoric and indignant anger. Thank you for being a voice of reason. Thank you for having the brass tacks to confront the tide of folly and for calling others to do the same.

We need more men - real men - like you in the world (and ESPECIALLY in the field of journalism). May you be blessed immensely in all you do.